


His Reflection

by Cataline_Lucifer



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anger, Angst, Artist Lance (Voltron), Blood and Violence, Dancer Lance (Voltron), Dark Lance (Voltron), Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, Feelings, Hurt Lance (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Insecure Lance, Lance (Voltron)-centric, Langst, Mild Gore, Mirror Universe, Space Uncle Coran (Voltron), Voodoo, mermaid lance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2020-02-15 14:59:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18672007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cataline_Lucifer/pseuds/Cataline_Lucifer
Summary: After looking into an ancient mirror in ruins of an abandoned planet Lance's psyche is stripped down to its core components. Each member of Voltron will have to confront a part of lance that the tried so hard to hide.





	1. The Mirror

**Author's Note:**

> do forgive me, I am so excited to get to the good bits that this was totally rushed!

“What is it?” Lance raised an eyebrow, if he was being totally honest it just looked like a pile of metal and wires.

Pidge rolled her eyes, “Well you see Lance after meeting the Olkari I realized that I could widen the range of transmissions sent out and picked up. I could potentially set up a completely organic communication network which would be immune to interception.”

“So, what you can pick up farts now?” Lance said jestingly earning a look of daggers from pidge.

“How dare you.” Pidge hissed as she zapped the blue paladin with a baton that sat next to her.

“Well actually it probably could…” Hunk trailed off as Pidge raised the baton towards him in warning.

“You are both terrible.”

Lance went to retort in with some cheeky remark but was cut off by a weird buzzing sound. It was like the machine was full of angry bees next to a foaming river.

“What the hell is that?”

Pidge couldn’t hide her excitement, “Its working! Quickly go get Shiro and Allura!”

Seconds later, all of the members of the castle of lions had gathered around the little device.

“What is it saying?” Allura asked as she poked it.

Pidge batted her hand away, “Let me just hook it up to my computer and run it through an inception… It’s coordinates. I think this is a distress signal.”

“What do you want to do Princess?” Shiro asked.

“I think we should go. If they use similar technology as the Olkari te reis no telling what I could learn from them.” Pidge fluttered her eyelids, “It could be good for the coalition as well.”

“Well you do sound convincing Pidge and I guess those coordinates aren’t very far anyway. We might as well take a break and check it out.”

Pidge let out a whoop of elation and grabbed Hunk who was just pleased to be involved.

The planet seemed completely deserted, but not just deserted, it looked like there hadn’t been anyone living there for centuries. Pidge set up her drone to scan for life signs but as expected there was nothing so instead the team walked through the empty streets marvelling at the amazing infrastructure. It was obvious that this was once a mighty and proud civilisation and it was unnerving to see it empty.

Eventually they came to the centre of the city, it was impossible to avoid really as it seemed that as they got closer every path guided them to the impressive structure that towered above all others. It was hard to plaster a description across it, it kind of looked like a human cathedral but like it had bubbled up organically from the ground like a lava flow. The building had a gaping mouth three times as tall as a man that called the paladins inside.

Inside wasn’t any less intimidating, a large foyer that was drenched in an ominous green lighting. Keith and Shiro shared a look as Shiro pushed open the large door at the far end, something didn’t feel right. Inside the throne room there was a half-melted throne made out of black shiny stone that looked like the earth’s obsidian. 

Wasting no time at all Lance draped himself across the throne, seemingly unaware of the freaky aura coming from it that made the others keep their distance. Waving a lazy hand, Lance suddenly froze and stared at the other wall. A tall silver glaze seemed to drip down the wall opposite the throne reflecting his form in a twisted, uncanny way. It seemed to only reflect darkness as it rang out, shrill through the air but no one could hear it but Lance.

“Naturally, Lance is like a magpie to his own reflection.” Pidge let out a barky laugh.

“No, this is weird...” Lance started, “I can’t stop looking at it.”

“Okay? Lance, we know you love yourself but that’s a bit weird.” Pidge raised an eyebrow.

Then one by one the high-pitched ringing reached the rest of the team’s ears and their eyes were draw to the mirror. Lances reflection seemed to glow, and a tremor emanated from the earth.


	2. The White Room

Shiro sat up and held his head, that tremor must have been stronger than it felt if it had managed to knock him out. Glancing around in surprise, Shiro suddenly realized that it wasn’t the tremor that had done the deed, he was in a completely white space that seemed to have no end. Just the shiny white floor stretching out as far as the eye can see. 

“Hey!” Shiro cringed at how raspy his voice sounded, “Is anyone out there?”

Just before the panic began to set in, He heard Keith’s voice echo back to him.

“I can’t see you Shiro! Stay there and I’ll follow your voice”

A few moments passed and Shiro could see several shadowed figures coming through the haze towards him. He realized whether or not the space ended didn’t matter because it was too full fog to make out anything past a few meters. Shiro recognised Hunks yellow bandana first and immediately relaxed a little. Everyone had found their way back together. Or that what he thought until a quick head count told him they were one short.

“Where is Lance?” 

Glancing around everyone came to the same crushing realization, the blue paladin was nowhere to be seen.

“Okay, first things first. Where are we? Ideas?” Shiro looked at Allura and Coran hoping their years of alien knowledge could provide an answer.

“I am sorry Shiro,” Allura shook her head, “I have never seen somewhere like this before.”

Coran on the other hand wasted no time pottering around investigating things. Shiro watched the older man lick the floor in thought before decided that he had no idea either.

“Pidge, what readings are you getting?”

“None at all. Whatever grabbed us must have destroyed my drone because I’m picking up no signal from that and none of my suits sensors are responding.” Pidge fiddled around a little bit more but Shiro could tell she was unsettled.

Keith stood a little way away from everyone else, staring into the thick white veil, it was almost tangible. there could be anything out side their little pocket of visibility, although he knew it was only a pocket to them. Keith knew that they too were swallowed, erased, snubbed out by this enveloping whiteness. It hurt his eyes, it was so white. Staring at it made him feel like he was staring at himself staring at nothing. His mind fought hard to drum up a thousand-different description to plaster across it. But there was nothing that could truly describe nothing.

He went to turn back to the group, dismissing his uneasy thoughts when something caught his eye. But was it? A flicker of darkness among a sea of white, a small movement upon a static land. Then there was nothing, so he chalked it up to his eyes begging so desperate to see something other than white but then he saw it again only clearer this time. There was definitely something out there.

“Uh, Shiro?”

Everyone drew out their Bayard’s ready to fight this mysterious figure but as it became clearer through the fog they faltered. The figure kind of looked like lance but only in the sense of a statue looking real and this wasn’t helped by the fact that it was made of silver. Its form seemed ever changing like instead of moving like a fluid person, it created every movement from scratch like stop motion and destroyed the old simultaneously. The whole effect was just plain scary and the way it wore Lances face didn’t help one bit.

Keith stepped forwards, sword raised in his hand, “Who are you?”

“Who am I?” the creature that wasn’t lance pondered as it flittered around Keith, “I thought you knew this form?”

“So, you are Lance? But what? How? Okay mister I’m kinda freaking out so explain.” Hunk blurted.

“You are in the truth glass.”

Coran widened his eyes in shock and excitement, “Wait are you saying? I thought that was just a myth!”

“Care to explain Coran?” Shiro raised an eyebrow.

“When I was a boy,” Coran looked at Allura’s warning look to keep it brief, “Okay well there was this story about this civilization that was so fraught with obsession and paranoia due to their remorseless and cruel nature that their leading mage set out to create a truth glass which makes breaks people down into the basic parts and exposes their true nature. the ending isn’t very nice apparently prolonged exposure poisoned their minds and made everything worse until the whole race destroyed itself.”

“Wow, that just dark.” Pidge raised a skeptical eyebrow, “So how come we are all here then and not Lance?”

“This one looked into the glass first, so he shall be judged. Though be warned, if you show any inhibition or have a doubting thought then it shall be you who will be judged.” The creature that wore Lance’s face spoke plainly without malice but there was something about the way he smiled that sent shivers down their spines.

“Now,” the sliver Lance waved his hand and thousands of doors materialized from the fog, “Chose a door and so be it.”

“Isn’t there some way we can just skip all this and leave?” Pidge asked hopefully but judging by the creature’s dark expression she took it as a no.

So, one by one they chose a door and prepared to enter.


	3. Comfortable in Chaos- The Artist

Stepping through the soft wooden door, Hunk felt like he had just walked into an old school art room. Every surface was worn and splattered with a thousand speckles of colour from years of accumulated paint. There was a table at the far end of the room where Lance sat hunched over something.

“Hey buddy.” 

Hunk walked through the room noticing for the first time the layers of paintings and sculptures that were piled up against the walls. Though most details were obscured by some other piece hanging in front of it, Hunk could make out a few faces or locations he remembered like snap shots from Lances memories. Slightly hidden by a half-finished statue of Shiro, lay a worn oil painting from the day they met. 

It was a little hard to make out at first as it was made of hastily smeared paint but as he took a step back, he noticed a Hunk shaped figure with the iconic headband lay sprawled on the ground as Lance, a blue smear, reached out to take his hand. It was a good memory.

“What ya making there?” Hunk asked in his usual reassuring tone.

Lance stood abruptly, pulling a sheet over the painting as he spun around.

“Now that would be telling.” He gave the yellow paladin a strange smirk.

Now that he faced him, Hunk realised that this was a part of Lace that rarely surfaced. His hair was ruffled and unbrushed and made Lance look a few years younger but the bags under his eyes contradicted that. His blue eyes seemed unfathomably deep, like an unquenchable ocean greedy for beauty and knowledge. Lance wore a large white shirt coupled with cotton trousers that hung from his slender frame and made him seem a lot thinner than usual and like the rest of the rooms furnishings it was covered in lashings of colour.

“You look tired.” Hunk sighed; it hadn’t happened in a while, but he knew all about Lance’s mad art moments where he would stay up for days on end until he was satisfied.”

“It won’t wait for me to sleep. You know that.” Lance laughed but it sounded a bit strained.

“Okay, well can you help me out here. I really want to get through this trial or whatever so I can get back to the rest of the team and get the real Lance back.”

Lance let out a loud tut and pulled out a pile of clay, setting it down on a stool with a slap, “An artist has a unique perspective in life, they can live comfortable in chaos and appreciate the beauty that goes along with it. You should get more used to living in chaos.”

He gestured for Hunk to sit opposite him and started to move the clay. It was uncanny the way it seemed to shift from palpable shapes so quickly beneath Lances fingers. 

“You see, this clay is like you. It knows that it is clay, but it has no idea what form is right. It could be a man, or it could be a pot, or it could be something unrecognisable. Isn’t that beautiful?”

“Lance, everything you make is beautiful.” It wasn’t a lie Hunk loved Lance’s art, even when it was just random doodles on his textbook back at the garrison.

Lance’s face twisted into a large smile as he wrapped the other boy in a hug. Hunk hugged back but as he did, he could feel Lance’s skin grow cold and wet like fresh clay. Before he even registered what was happening, Lance’s body erupted into a thousand colours as he turned to paint and spilled to the floor. Gently, the colours blended together to form a rustic looking wooden door on the floor.


	4. Sirens Song - The Lewid

Allura cringed as she stepped through her blue crystal door into a pool of water. Even though the armour she wore didn’t let any water in she still felt that ingrained sinking feeling. Glancing up, she looked around the room in amazement. It was the same coloured crystal as the door except she had stepped into a geode of it. Rolling crystalline structures made up every surface and as it dipped in the centre of the room an equally blue pool of water sat still as a mirror. The only light seemed to come from the lake itself and as Allura dipped a hand into it she realised that the water was the source of light in the room.

In another situation she would have found it beautiful, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that came along with it. 

“Hello?” Allura called out but immediately regretted it as her voice echoed back at her distorted.

“Hey Allura.” 

The voice behind her made Allura spin around in shock but then what she saw only added to that. Lance lay in the water, leaning lazily on one arm with a seductive smile on his face. Behind him stretched out a long, line of blue and sliver trailed out from behind him under the water.

Lance noticed her staring and rolled onto his back playfully like a cat, “Do you like what you see princess?”

Allura watched as he stretched out on his back and noticed that the blue colour continued up his sides and there were small silver fins that lined the underside of Lance’s arms. She couldn’t believe it, but then again Lance did love the sea, so it was quite fitting.

“You’re a fish person!”

“I think you mean mermaid Princess, but yeah sure.” Lance waved his hand unenthusiastically.

He stared at Allura with an unwavering gaze, his blue eyes shining an unnatural electric blue. Even his brown hair seemed a little more shimmery in its ruffled sea tossed state and Allura couldn’t deny somehow these subtle changes had made the blue paladin captivating. He even smelled different, though strangely so similar, like the cotton or the sent of Juniberry flowers. It is only then that she realized how close she had gotten to the version of Lace that lay demurely in the water.

Cautiously, Allura took a step backwards and tried to avoid Lance’s hypnotic gaze. With an oddly seductive sigh, Lance pushed himself up and sunk back into the pool of water. He reached a hand out, beckoning Allura closer. 

Lance rolled his head with an easy smile on his face, “Why don’t you swim with me Princess?

“But I’d get wet.” Allura felt a strange but tantalising sense of fear creep up her back.

“Oh,” Lance hummed, “But isn’t it more fun that way?”

Allura couldn’t break the spell of enticement as she began to step further into the water. Suddenly the floor dropped away from under her feet and she wasn’t sure if it Lance had pulled her over or if the rock had actually slipped but either way she went plunging into the water. She tried to kick to the surface, but the water had turned to waves as the crashed hard over Allura’s head every time she tried to break the water.

There was something uncannily beautiful about watching Lances body swirl around her. Though she realised that he wasn’t actually a fish person, the tail was more like a large jellyfish that flitted behind him as he effortlessly cut though the water.

Holding out a hand towards her, Lance shot Allura a dangerously sultry smile which danced on his features playfully but Allura felt nothing but fear from it. She snatched her hand away from Lance and desperately tried to kick for the surface but with every stroke she seemed to sink further. Chest burning, her entire body throbbed, and her lungs felt like they had been set on fire. Slowly black and red splotches seeped into her vision until she couldn’t remember if her eyes were open or closed anymore. Allura tried to open her mouth to breath but salty water just filled her lungs.

Then, ever so slowly, everything faded away. Painfully, quietly, she felt the panic leave her body as she began to sink. Sink deeper and deeper into the still darkness. Through the darkness, Allura felt an arm wrap itself around her shoulder and she opened her eyes enough to see Lance’s peering at her, illuminated softly in the pale blue light. She felt a rough hand touch her face as Lance gently pulled Allura’s face closer to his own and his lips brushed hers, enticing her to kiss back. Just as she did, cool air bubbled from his mouth filling her lungs.

“I always knew you didn’t trust me Princess. You love the way I flirt, but you are scared of me, aren’t you?” Lance hissed in her ear.

Allura widened her eyes as she realised two things. First how the hell could she hear Lance under water. Second, he tried to save her, but she snatched her had away in fear. He wasn’t a shameless flirt with no regard for consequences. 

The water below her glowed a soft purple light glowing up from underneath them and Lance pointed towards it, so she swam until the light consumed her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay just a little clarification I DON'T ship Allura and Lance at all but I couldn't stop myself.  
> Also those who watch She-Ra, when Lance said Hey Allura I totally heard it in Catra's voice lmao.


	5. Here Comes The Sun - The Lonely

Coran immediately the difference in the air as the crisp ocean breeze hit his face. The salty wind blew through his moustache and he stepped out onto a sandy beach. For a moment, he almost thought he had returned to Altea but one lance up at the moonless midday sky told him otherwise. The sea was a beautiful blue, a perfect reflection of the sky and it was beautiful. The warm sun beat down on his face filling him with calm and peace. As Coran settled into the gentle rolling swash of the ocean, he could discern other noises, the sounds of people playing. 

A little way down the beach, he watched as a family relaxed on the beach while some of the children splashed in the rolling waves throwing up jewels of sea water as it caught in the sun. A twinge of nostalgia flooded over Coran as he watched the children squeal and giggle and his mind was transported back to a single day years ago when he watched his own children play in the seas of his home planet. Shaking the thought from his head, Coran sat on the dune a little way away from the family.

Silently beside him, a part of Lance sat up from within the sand, the little partials solidifying to form his body. But Coran didn’t flinch away, they just sat together for a moment in the peaceful memory.

“Why don’t you join them?” Coran finally asked.

“Why would I? they are so happy, even in this fragment of memory created by longing, they are content. No matter how much I want to I don’t fit into that memory.” Lance answered plainly.

“What part are you? The part that loves your family or the part that feels the loneliness and barriers between you?”

Lance shrugged, “I guess I’m a bit of both.”

Coran let out a sigh an placed a hand on Lances shoulder, he had a feeling that this was the Lance that he would get. They often spent time together in the early hours of the mornings when homesickness dragged them from slumber reminiscing about their place. It was nice to have someone to talk to.

“Let me tell you something number three. Once of the things that make you so special is the way you can make a family anywhere, you are the glue that keeps people together and weather its on earth or in space you are loved and missed by so many people.”

Lance let out a bitter laugh, “yeah right.”

“No, it’s true!”

And with that, Coran grabbed Lance’s arm and pulled him up off the sand. It hurt Coran to see the hesitance behind Lance’s eyes and in his heart; he knew there really want much he could do to dispel the loneliness in Lance’s heart, but he could still try. 

“Come on my boy, introduce me!” he said as he dragged the boy towards the beach.

Lance let out a pure laugh as all the worry and tension in his face lifted and Coran smiled. It had been a while since he had seen the blue palain smile so genuinely and it filled Coran with joy. He'd do anything for that boy and deep down he hope Lance knew that too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is hella short because anyone who has read any of my other works I can only write angst it seems. Also I kind of got the impression that Coran and Lance already had this conversation on the real world so it wasn't really for him to learn anything new like the others, just a quick meet up. Coran that man!!!


	6. There Are No Strings On Me - The Broken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found this chapter really hard to write because I wasn't sure what kinda message I wanted to put across so hopefully it makes sense. :)

Pidge let out a loud sigh as she stepped through into the new room, tapping her gauntlet as she did so. There was still a level of static that was interfering with the readings and she really wanted to figure out what was going on. 

As a scientist is was hard to wrap her head around but what wasn’t these days. In space where magic and science seem to be the same thing it was important to suspend the disbelief to find answers. So that’s what Pidge did.

Glancing up unamused, she had to do a double take as she peered around the dimly lit room. It looked a little like the Garrison labs but laced with Galra tech. Instantly on edge, Pidge drew out her Bayard and held it up ready to strike at any movement.

She stalked through the room and examined the thick wires and plating that covered the benches. The longer she looked, Pidge realised that it was all connected by more wires that crossed the floor and wove their way around the lab like a see of snakes. At the far end of the lab there was a dark purple booth and unable to suppress her curiosity, Pidge pressed on the button opening it.

Pidge gasped in horror as she took in sight before her. Strung up on a sharp frame hung the body of her friend who was mostly wires and metal instead of flesh at this point. Lance opened his eyes slowly and gave pidge a pained but sweet smile but with half his face made of metal, the expression looked like a cheap imitation of the real thing.

“Oh, hey gremlin. You found me.” He tried to laugh but it came out as a strained cough instead.

“What did they do to you Lance?” Pidge cried, tears forming in her eyes. It was all too much.

“I don’t know about that. I’m not all that smart.”

Pidge felt sick as she reached up and caressed the metal frame gently feeling the tiny parts move and twist under her fingers. If she wasn’t so horrified, she would have been amazed.

“Don’t look so sad. They said when they are finished, I’ll be better. I was nothing compared to you all so hopefully when this is done, I will be able to keep up.” Lance said with a strained cheeriness.

“Doesn’t it hurt?” Pidge asked.

“More than anything I have ever felt before. It’s okay though. They are only hurting me to make me better. I think that is okay.”

“How could you say that Lance?” Pidge yelled, “How is this possibly okay?”

There was a noise and Lance stiffened, “They will be back in a moment. You should hide.”

Pidge felt anger surge through her, she couldn’t even think about what she would do to the people who had done this to her friend. But for now, she had to hide. There was bench with black slatted panel just large enough for Pidge to hide behind and still see out of. 

Biting her lip as the door opened, Pidge watched as a person walked into the room only a little taller than herself. They were wearing a surgical mask and goggles as they fiddled with the console that popped out from the frame and read off the diagnostics for a moment. 

They grabbed a screwdriver from the table where Pidge hid and almost seemed to look into her hiding place for a moment but then turned back to Lance. Gently pulling off the outer casing, they began to fiddle with the inner working and by the grimace on Lance’s face he could feel every movement and every tweak.

Lance let out a cry of pain, unable to keep his mouth shut anymore and the person let out a sigh and poked the place again. It seems they found what they were looking for. Wrapping both hands around the component they ripped from Lance’s chest making him scream in agony and thrash and writhe. It was almost too much for Pidge but then she watched as the person ripped off the mask and goggled in frustration.

“Shut up or I’ll sew your mouth shut.” They shouted; it couldn’t be… “Gah, can you even get more pathetic. Remember you asked me for this Lance.”

The person turned and placed the googles on the table and Pidge let out a strangled sob as she looked up at her own face. It was older and there was a thin scar above the eyebrow but there was no mistaking her own face. All this time she thought it must have been the Galra who did this horrifying act, but it was her.

“Actually, I think that might be a good idea.” Older Pidge picked up a real of metal thread and a surgical needle, “If I sew your mouth up you won’t be so noisy and annoying all the time.”

Pidge punched a hand into the door ready to run out and attack the older version of herself, but the bottom of the cupboard opened up and swallowed her into darkness.


	7. A Duel To Death - The Warrior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy strap in guys its only gonna get darker

Keith stepped through the grey metal door into the familiar training room of the castle of lions, but there was something a little off. Instead of streaks of black, it had a slight shiny purple look when the light caught it and there was an extensive weapons rack across the back wall covered in similarly dark purple weapons.

Following the lines, Keith’s eye was drawn towards the centre of the room and noticed Lance standing there. He wore a tight white suit that almost looked like armour, but Keith could tell it was more like the stuff superhero suits were made out of in movies.

“Lance!” Keith cringed at the neediness in his voice and quickly steeled it, “What is this?”

Lance didn’t turn around or acknowledge Keith but crossed to the back wall and took a long blade into his hand. It was similar to the blade Keith’s Bayard formed but it was a little thinner and more rounded.

“What are you doing with that?” Keith asked, he wasn’t accustomed to feeling nervous but there was something about the cold way this version of Lance carried himself that unnerved him.

Throwing the blade behind him, Lance didn’t even glance around as the blade embedded itself into the training room floor by Keith’s feet. if he hadn’t leap out of the way there was no doubt that the blade would have gone through his foot as well. But Lance didn’t seem a touch worried as he inspected the weapons rack.

“You fight with a sword. Why?”

“Why do I fight with a sword?” Keith raised an eyebrow at the ridiculousness of the question, it was far too open ended to be answered sincerely.

“Did I stutter?” Lance’s voice boomed through the room so much stronger and vicious than Keith though he was capable of.

“No…” Keith thought to himself for a moment, “I know when I use a blade that I am completely in control, there is no room for error. When I engage with my opponent there are no sneaky shots, nothing to hide behind. Just my strength against theirs.”

“So, it makes you feel powerful, the unadulterated rush of hand to hand combat.” Lance said with a sneer, “That is so typical of you Keith.”

He ran a hand along the rack of weapons until his fingers came to rest on a blade similar in length to that was embedded in the floor. The blade was slightly curved like the falchion blade that was found on earth.

“You are so eager to prove yourself, so desperate that you trample over anyone and anything to be the strong and vicious warrior you so desperately cling to.” Lance’s voice held no malice, just plain truth and that was almost worse.

Keith narrowed his eyes at the blue paladin, “There’s a war to be won. If I’m not the best I can be then people could get hurt.”

Keith pulled the blade out of the round with surprising ease and weighed it up in his hand. It was better balanced than his Blades sword but heavier than his Bayard, it may be the best sword he had handled. Looking up Keith saw that Lance too had picked his weapon of choice, a sword too but it was made of energy like a flat lightsabre.

Holding the sword up in a fighting stance, Keith blocked Lance’s testing blow easily. Both boys circled each other throwing the odd attack evaluating how to other responded. Then something changed in lance’s eyes as he rushed forwards recklessly and Keith almost laughed at the careless attack that left his left side open. Keith brought up a lazy block to save his strength.

The sword switched in lance’s hands at last moment as he lunged at Keith, the tip of it catching his stomach as he leaped out the way. The cut wasn’t deep enough to do much damage, Keith was too fast for that, it was just enough for him to start losing blood. Clutching his stomach, Keith winced and stumbled backwards suddenly thankful for the numbing adrenalin that flooded his system.

“What happened to you Lance?” Keith cried as they locked blades again.

“You did.”

Keith rolled his eyes and rounded his shoulders as he circled the blue paladin, carefully tracking his every move. This wasn’t a friendly sparring session, Keith realised, this was a fight to the death and that wasn’t his Lance. They stayed like that, Keith blocking the relentless barrage of hits lance kept throwing with barely enough time to throw some back.

Lance lashed out again catching Keith’s arm but he didn’t flinch, he was too wired up as he wrapped his hands around lance’s wrist and brought his knee up snapping the elbow the wrong way. There was a sickening crunch as the bone moved around Keith’s knee, but lance didn’t even make a sound, no cry, not even a wince of pain as he switched hands again.

There was a moment of hesitation as Keith tried to read Lance but his face as so empty and cold it was impossible to see anything in it. He took a wild swipe at Keith, but it was sloppy, as exhausted Keith was, he could tell that Lance was just as tired.

Keith threw a kick, but he was too slow. Hooking a foot behind Keith’s leg, he sent him crashing to the ground, but Keith grabbed Lance’s arm and twisted sending then both down in a heap. Keith cursed himself for dropping his sword as he tried to roll to retrieve it.

Lance recovered first as he scrambled to sit on top pinning Keith’s arms down painfully as he squirmed and wriggled but no matter what he did, Keith couldn’t throw Lance off. Every time he tried to move; Keith got a knee in the ribs for the effort as Lance raised his sword.

Stretching his fingers out, Keith managed to bring the blade up at last moment. He could feel it move through everything until it got lodged in Lance’s spine and then as Lance began to fall forwards, it pushed its way out the other side.

Keith looked up in abject horror as red spread out across the white suit from the blade that Keith had imbedded into his torso. Scrambling up as Lance fell forwards, Keith rolled him over and placed a hand on either side of the wound to try to put pressure on it but the red just spread more and began to pool at his knees.

“I knew you couldn’t let me be better than you. You couldn’t bare it.” Lance smirked as he let out a wet cough, “I just tried to fight like you but it’s pretty scary when your opponent look like they will kill you.”

Keith looked again and realized that lance was never going to kill him, he had embedded the blade into the ground a few inches from his head. Between the cold expression and the attitude, he had convinced himself that Lance would kill him if given the chance but that was just the way Keith fought.

“No! It was an accident Lance please I didn’t mean it.”

“Of course, you didn’t Samurai. The weak should be killed so that the strong can get stronger. Right?”

Keith coughed a sob as the blood pooling around his knees began to seep more aggressively. It was already up to his waist and Keith knew there was no way that was possible, but he wasn’t thinking logically as he cradled the blue paladin in his arms. Holding Lance’s head so that it was out of the blood, Keith let it suck him down until he was drowning in a sea of sticky redness. Red replaced all of his other senses until there was nothing left. Fitting for the Red Paladin.


	8. Black Swan - The Perfectionist

Shiro stepped through the fake wooden door into a cold dance studio. Mirrors lined the front and the back of the room and there were bars of various heights lining the other walls. The sound of classical music filled the air as it bounced off the walls, Shiro swore he recognised it but there was no way he’d be able to name it. 

Then his eyes were drawn to the centre of the room where Lance stood back to the door, fixed in position. The first thing Shiro noticed was how thin he was. The baggy dance sweats were tied on his hips but practically hung off him until they were tied at his knees and the thin blue shirt he wore over his chest did nothing to hide the gentle protruding of his bones. It was horrible but oddly beautiful to watch every bone and muscle move without distortion.

Shiro opened his mouth to speak but the music suddenly picked up and Lance threw himself further into the dance, his bare feet barely touching the floor until- SNAP!

Letting out a yelp of pain, Lance tumbled to the floor his ankle twisted at an odd angle. Shiro went to dive forwards to help the boy but as soon as he moved Lance shot him a look so venomous it stopped him in his tracks. Gently pushing himself off the floor, Lance stood up wobbling on the broken ankle and began dancing again.

He only got a few more steps into the dance when he fell down again, the already broken bones crunching sickeningly. 

“Lance please stop, your ankle!” Shiro cried out as he tried to take a step forwards but there was a crash and the mirror to his left exploded into a thousand fragments, showering Lance.

It didn’t deter him however and just like before, Lance pushed himself up on shaking legs and began to dance again. Shiro cringed as he could hear the glass embedded in his feet drag along the polished wood floor streaking the surface with blood. He tried to move again but another mirror shattered, showering Lance with even more glass and soon sicky red blood was pouring over him from every nick and gouge on his tan skin. 

His ankle rolled again, and Lance collided with the floor with a gut-wrenching crunch. Glass was stuck in face now. There was a large shard sticking out of his shoulder and blood dripped off the bottom of his shirt. Yet once again, Lance pushed himself up on his broken foot and limped back to the centre of the room.

“Please! Lance just stop! You don’t need to keep dancing!” Shiro practically screamed not daring to take another step.

Lance tumbled again but this time he didnt make it far as Shiro dived forwards and scooped the boy into arms, back turned to shield him from the glass as best he could. Now that he was close, Shiro gasped in horror. The injuries were a lot worse now he was close, he hadn’t noticed the back and blue bruising snaking around his neck or his wrists that disappeared under his clothes. But even worse, there was nothing to him. Nothing but bone and cloth. Shiro couldn’t stop the tears from flowing as Lance looked up at him with a slack, doe eyed expression. It was like cradling a child.

“Why did you keep going Lance?” he sobbed.

“Was I pretty?” Lance said softly as he placed a skeletal hand on Shiro’s cheek.

“Yes, but you are hurt Lance. You need to stop.”

“I have to be perfect. If I’m not good enough someone might get killed.”

Lance gestured to through the broken mirrors where lines of dances wearing blue masks danced flawlessly amongst the blood and glass scattering the floor in horrifying synchronisation. All of them turned as they reached back with a elegant arm revealing their featureless faces with two dark holes where the eyes should be.

“No Lance. How can you help anyone like this? It isn’t perfection, this is torture! You’re gonna kill yourself like this.”

“Well maybe that’s okay…” Lance trailed off sadly.

Shiro’s face folded into a frown as the floor began to shatter like the mirrors on the walls and he tumbled into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is this three chapters in one day I am impressed. This was based off a dream I had and as a ballet dancer I can say this scenario of girls dancing themselves to injury for perfection is too common.


	9. Who Do That Voodoo That You Do - The Veracious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to be truthful to the idea of Voodoo and Cuban Voodoo (Santería) especially but I don't have the time to research the whole religion as much as I'd like to so I could get the whole thing right so this is more artistic licence than anything else. But the tarot bit is pretty accurate with the meanings, that bit I know haha. I took my inspiration from the voodoo guy from the Disney princess and the frog so you'll probably see some similarities there too. This chapter took me quite long to write because I felt I could never get it right so... I tried :)

Pidge dropped to the floor in a pile. Looking up she saw that she was in a different room this time. It looked like the inside of a makeshift shack that would be found in a slum, half corrugated metal, half mud, straw and vine. There were candles everywhere bathing the whole place in a warm though slightly menacing glow.

She jumped as a door on the wall appeared and Hunk walked through pretty calmly, Pidge didn’t want to imagine the sight Hunk must have seen. Letting out a cry of relief, she threw herself into Hunk’s arms.

“Are you okay?” She asked fighting to keep the tears in her face.

“Yeah… Did you have a vision too? That’s what I’m calling them right now because nothing makes sense.” Hunk wrapped Pidge in a deep hug, he hated to see her so shaken up.

“Yeah, my Lance was all messed up. I was turning him into a robot monster but it wasnt me!” She blubbered.

“My Lance was nice actually, a bit manic but nice.” Hunk rubbed his chin in thought, “But we made it right or at least we learnt from it, that means we passed.”

“I guess so.” Pidge didn’t feel so sure.

Hunk held out an arm for Pidge to hold onto as they walked through the shack. At the far end of the hut sat a fat fire that gave off a pungent smell and behind it a crude wooden chair carved out of a branch. The whole area seemed to scream at the pair to run but they knew that they had to see it through to the end if they were going to fix this. On the chair sat a skinny man wearing an animal skull mask and draped in glistening beads that sat on top of a relatively shabby suit. 

“Is that you buddy?” Hunk said quietly as he inched closer to the fire.

Before he could get too close the fire spat a shower of blue sparks at Hunk making him jump back in surprise. The man laughed and shook off the strings of beads that covered him and stood up on shaking legs as he leaned heavily on a staff wrapped in grass and jewels.

“Careful cabron, you get burnt if you get too close.” He said, his voice husky and heavily accented.

The man raised his arm and a bit of wrist stuck out of his dirty cuff testifying to how skinny he was, the skin barely clung onto the bone. Slowly drawing the mask off his face, it revealed a dirty beard and bright shining eyes that pierced out from under hooded eyes and shaggy eyebrows. Hunk and pidge gasped, the man in front of them looked like Lance just really, really old.

“What’s all this then?” Pidge asked accusatorily, “What lesson are we supposed to learn from an old man who can barely stand? Our Lance is a teenager.”

“Pidge-” Hunk tried to start but she was on a war path.

“No, seriously what is this? I have no idea what I was supposed to take from my Lance except seeing my friend getting deconstructed. Is that all this is, shock value?” Hunk tried placing a hand on Pidges shoulder, but she shrugged him off, “And how on earth has a crappy voodoo set up got anything to do with Lance?”

“Its my roots…” Lance said slowly.

“What are you talking about Lance? You’re American!” Pidge exploded with a venomous glare.

“I’m from Cuba comemierda!” Lance threw his hands up in exasperation, “You Americans really don’t know shit.”

“What… I never realised…”

Lance smiled and it was horrifying, like his skin was trying to peel off his face, “There are a lot of things you never realised chica.” Lance’s shadow seemed to grow behind him ominously as the fire flicked with a restrained rage. 

 

“I could tell you all the ways an old man could stew over the things you never realised, but I could just show you instead…”

Pulling out a small cage, Lance dragged out a fat looking chicken with one hand and with the other pulled out a knife shaped like an ‘s’ and opened up the animal with an expert hand. The chicken didn’t even have a chance to utter a cry before the life drained from it. Guts spilled out into the wide metal dish with a slap against the surface splashing blood onto Pidges and Hunks face. Vague voices whispered through the hut as the masks nailed to the walls shook gently.

Lance grabbed the back of Pidges and pulled her closer to the entrails, “Don’t mind that,” he said with a mischievous grin, “Just a little breeze. Now look closer and tell me what you see.”

Pidges eyes began to water at the putrid smell of blood and the nails digging into the back of her head. Desperately she tried to make out something other than the gore that sat in the dish.

“Do you see it?” Lances beard tickled against Pidged face as he leaned in too, his eyes looking manic as Pidge shook her head, “Do you see it!”

“I can’t see anything. Please, you’re hurting me!” she cried.

“Do you see it?” Lance practically roared as he plunged Pidges face into the guts.

Blood filled her nose for a moment but instead of feeling the squish of entrails, it felt like she was under water. Opening her eyes, Pidge noticed a deep blue colour. Before her eyes flashed memories. Memories of every cruel word and snark comment, every time she shot Lance down and took her joke too far. She saw every time Lance shrunk away from the group or was left behind, every frown and hurt look. 

Pidge felt tears trace her face as she bust upwards, dragging air into her lungs and wiping the blood from her face. Sobs bubbled up from her chest as she was filled with guilt and self-loathing. Pidge finally understood what hers meant; it wasn’t just for shock value, it represented every way Lance tore himself apart to try to avoid her taunts, every way she tore him apart over the tiniest things for hardly any reason.

“Calm down Pidge, its not real… none of it is.” Hunk tried to reassure as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

Lance was suddenly in front of Hunk, a towering form much taller that he was before, “Don’t you disrespect me little man! Don’t you derogate or derive! You’re in my world now, not your world and I’ve got friend on the other side.”

A chair pushed itself up to the table scooping Hunk up as Lance poured the guts on to the fire letting it explode into green fire and smoke. Sitting slowly into his chair, Lance let a string of cards flitter between his hands as he shuffled them and spread them out in a fan.

“Just take three… the past, the present and the future we will see” Lance said with a low growl and a smirk.

Hesitantly, Hunk reached out a took a handful of cards and handed them back to Lance who shrugged the cards away and spread the cards out. Turning the first on over it showed a three of cups.

“This shows a coming together to focus on a common emotional goal. It speaks of a sense of community and can indicate the time to get more involved by helping.” Lance said with a strange tone of bleakness, “Perhaps your garrison days?”

Hunk chewed the inside of his mouth nervously as memories of their days messing around at the garrison flashed across the card. It was strange looking back at it, there was a smile on Lance’s face that seemed totally different to the one he wore now. It was more genuine, Hunk realized with horror but before he could dwell on it the next one was flipped.

“Oh look… the nine of swords, you know what that means hermano?” Hunk shook his head slowly, “The Nine of Swords is the kind of betrayal that wounds deeply. Do you know why?”

Images flashed through Hunks brain, moments of inattentiveness and dismissal. Images of ‘later Lance’ and laughing at jokes that cut a little deep. Images of Lance sitting alone while he joked with Pidge or Shiro or Allura or even Keith. Somehow the passive betrayal cut deeper than any sword or sharp word. Hunk felt sick.

“Now the future, oh do we dare look into the future.” Lance said dramatically as he flipped over the last card, “The tower… We both know what that means down we.”

Hunk slumped back in his chair as he ran a hand over his face not wanting to face the card that spelled out the future if things carried on.

“Look at it.” Lance commanded but Hunk shook his head.

“LOOK AT IT!” 

A gust of wind slammed through the hut forcing Hunks head forwards, so he saw the card sitting in front of him. Lance falling from the bow of a Galran ship all alone. Lance bleeding out in a bath tub, wrists slit, all alone. Lance slumped up against the wall of a Galran cell withered to nothing more that a starved husk all alone. Hunk closed his eyes to see no more, tears shamelessly spilling down his face.

“Are you satisfied with all you see?” Lance asked, softer this time.

Both Pidge and Hunk shook their heads slowly, their faces cast down in shame. A slow grin formed on Lances face as the fire behind them grew and grew. A slow cackle rumbled deep within his chest as the fire grew still and the heat against their necks made Hunk and Pidge turn around in shock. 

Wood snapped and popped as the inferno began to engulf the back of the room and Pidge and Hunk leapt out of their chairs to get away from the fire. Lance stood as well, his old joints popping like the fire, but didn’t move away. No, he stood there a cackling grin on his face as the fire engulfed him. Slowly his withered body began to melt and bubble in the flames and he became a blackened shell.

“Well maybe it’s time you learned what it feels like to be burnt up.”

A hysterical laugh hacked out of Lances frame as the flames danced ever closer to Pidge and Hunk, Hunk wrapping the younger girl in his body in an effort to shield her. It was no use, Pidge held up an arm as the flamed leapt forwards like a colossal mouth and engulfed the two of them as well.


End file.
